Fearless Baker Mayfield
September 17th, 2023
The chase for the ball was on.
The quiet turning point of today’s victory against Chicago was delivered by, guess who, Baker Mayfield.
And it wasn’t through the air or stiff-arming a defender.
Mayfield fired a strike to backup tight end David Wells for a first down on play No. 12 of a Bucs drive in the third quarter with Tampa Bay leading 13-10. But Wells coughed up the football after it was punched out.
The chase was on for the football and Mayfield (see above) was competing with at least three Bears defenders. Mayfield was all-in. No thinking that he is a fragile quarterback. No thought of his banged up right shoulder.
Mayfield dove and pounced cleanly. First down Buccaneers. He fired a 32-yard touchdown to Mike Evans on the next play.
“It’s about swarming the football, fighting for your teammate and being there when you need to,” Mayfield said of the play.
Evans spoke with reverence of Mayfield’s play in the locker room. The greatest receiver in Tampa Bay history noted that many QBs don’t have the instincts to sacrifice their body on a fumble, or they’re just unwilling to do it.
The effort was not unnoticed at JoeBucsFan.com world headquarters. What a perfect start to this season it’s been for Mayfield.
September 17th, 2023 at 7:39 pm
Cool to see Baker dive on that loose ball unlike that puss Cam Newton
September 17th, 2023 at 7:39 pm
Yep! Dream start for Baker
September 17th, 2023 at 7:43 pm
How can you not like this guy. He’s what I call a working class or lunch pail quarterback. I have really been impressed with his IQ and concentration and his ability to feel the rush. The Eagles are a hard ask at this stage, but hard to see how this team is not an improvement over last year.
September 17th, 2023 at 7:47 pm
WOW did the Broncos just get screwed, they get a hail mary, the on the 2pt conversion there’s blatant pass interference, and it’s not called. What a screwjob. I guess the NFL told the Redskins owners they get a few dozen free calls with their purchase of a new team.
September 17th, 2023 at 7:49 pm
Buddha Says:
September 17th, 2023 at 7:43 pm
How can you not like this guy. He’s what I call a working class or lunch pail quarterback.
———
Why would I want some ‘working class’ dullard as my QB? I want a fancy man QB, who I can relate to, like Tom Brady. TB isn’t a lunch pail QB, he’s wearing $300k watches and f—ing every countries supermodels.
Baker has been great so far, but this type of stuff is how you turn people against him.
September 17th, 2023 at 7:49 pm
Bucs would have won their last SB with someone like BM. They didn’t need Brady and all his soap operas. He is one feisty player. He reminds me (gong way back here) of Sonny Jurgensen. Not super tall for a QB, but feisty and almost fearless. Plus, he has 0 turnovers.
September 17th, 2023 at 7:51 pm
Remember how many so called “Bucs fans” were on here all summer long, trashing Mayfield ? I do. I wonder what they have to say now. I’m gonna go back tonight and pull some receipts, that way I can remind them that they are sheep that don’t know spit about football.
I told you guys all off season, he’s smart, somewhat mobile, and has a cannon. What more can you ask for in a QB?
September 17th, 2023 at 7:52 pm
@Rod Munch….. baaaaaaa, baaaaaaa. You’re a sheep
September 17th, 2023 at 7:54 pm
My only concern is that he’s gonna land up hurt by playing so hard, running like crazy and diving on loose balls. It’s entertaining as hell, it’s got everyone fired up – but please Baker, use your head!
September 17th, 2023 at 7:54 pm
Just to think tom.brady shat the bed with this same group of guys…qb mobility keeps our drives going…I been on the wave Mayfield is proving alot of people wrong. Just to think Gerald Mccoy endorsed this guy years ago and said the bucs should trade for him and they didn’t listen.
September 17th, 2023 at 7:57 pm
He’s a Buc now….he deserves our full support….and he’s earning it from Buc players, opponents & media.
September 17th, 2023 at 8:02 pm
Interesting tidbit on Baker and Geno on the seahawks.
Baker – 490 Yards Passing, 69.1% Completion Percentage, 3 TDs, 0 INTs, 104.4 Passer Rating
Geno Smith – 440 Yards Passing, 71.6 Completion Percentage, 3 TDs, 0 INTs, 104.1 Passer Rating.
It seems like the System Canales has is pretty good for QBs, as both QBs are performing very well.
September 17th, 2023 at 8:04 pm
Cam Newton would have donned a bonnet and walked the other way.
September 17th, 2023 at 8:05 pm
Rod…. bad take
September 17th, 2023 at 8:07 pm
That’s pretty cool deroA
September 17th, 2023 at 8:07 pm
Buddha
“How can you not like this guy?”
I wondered that as well. My son lives in Columbus and roots for the Reds in baseball and the Browns in football. He said Baker got a raw deal in Cleveland largely based on horrible coaching and even worse ownership.
Why isn’t he loved? Because in honesty it’s taken awhile to grow up. Perhaps the struggles of the past few seasons did it…perhaps simple age and the light went off.
He used to go over the top. He planted the Oklahoma flag in Ohio State’s fifty after the Sooners beat the Buckeyes…that wasn’t as bad as when he ran to the Kansas Bench and grabbed his crotch at their coaches…that cost him a suspension. Sooner fans LOVED Baker. Buc fans will also learn to love Baker.
The rest of the fans will HATE him.
Remember last week when he talked trash…”Get your weight up”…I could help but wonder if the penalty shot the Bears DB took might have been motivated in part by that.
I admire that Baker has finally matured as Howie Long pointed out on Fox today. I didn’t mature until 60 so I get it. lol Glad to also see that he’s kept his fire though. He stiff armed guys last week and talked trash but he walked away and didn’t escalate like he did as a “youth”.
September 17th, 2023 at 8:11 pm
Baker has played well. I am definitely not a believer in him – but you can’t argue with his play.
Baker is playing better than Brady did last year.
September 17th, 2023 at 8:11 pm
Trask our new ryan griffen
September 17th, 2023 at 8:16 pm
I will say this….It will be a miracle if Mayfield makes it through the season the way he plays.
September 17th, 2023 at 8:17 pm
I feel like the Bucs are the proverbial blind squirrel somehow ending up with Mayfield
WALSTIB
September 17th, 2023 at 8:18 pm
What I like about Baker so far is he reminds me a lot of when we picked up Jeff Garcia. Although Jeff came to Tampa Bay way more accredited they have a very similar style of play in my opinion, and are some hard nose, sacrifice self, hard nose, no f’s given style of play. Jeff took us to the play offs to face a soon to be Superbowl champion NY Giants. Baker has the Moxy for sure, and a supportive cast that far exceeds what he had in Cleveland! I love it, and am looking forward to at least an entertaining season!
September 17th, 2023 at 8:27 pm
Baker is a damned good QB, cannot be denied.
ALSO cannot be denied he’s gonna have a concussion or something in not-too-distant-future, and Trask will get some real world reps
September 17th, 2023 at 8:39 pm
Baker has played pretty dogone good. I certainly didn’t expect it. I just want him to have fun but act like you’ve been there. Headbutting teammates after big plays is not the smartest play in the world.
Play calling has been really good in my opinion. I don’t really get an idea of any patterns in the plays being called and that’s a really nice change.
September 17th, 2023 at 8:51 pm
Got to tip the hat to a 1st time play calling OC to start his career 2-0 using this offense to continue to pull off these wins…. IF they can get the run game figured out, they should get rolling to a productive season…
September 17th, 2023 at 8:56 pm
I just hope Baker doesn’t get his head taken off against Philly or the Saints. It gets a lot harder in the next two weeks. Baker needs more help from the O line and running game.
September 17th, 2023 at 8:57 pm
The guy hasn’t won a playoff game and Oralbuc has him winning SB’s. Anyone who compares this average QB clown to the best that ever played the position is a clown. Coaches do NOT want their QB’s diving to make tackles. It’s the same as stepping over dollars for pennies. Let the guys season speak for itself, two games against shat teams is a small sample size.
September 17th, 2023 at 8:58 pm
he looks good
September 17th, 2023 at 9:09 pm
“NE Fan Says:
September 17th, 2023 at 8:57 pm
The guy hasn’t won a playoff game and Oralbuc has him winning SB’s. Anyone who compares this average QB clown to the best that ever played the position is a clown. Coaches do NOT want their QB’s diving to make tackles. It’s the same as stepping over dollars for pennies. Let the guys season speak for itself, two games against shat teams is a small sample size.”
A few weeks ago, we were gonna lose 11 games, so playoffs weren’t even a PIPE dream
September 17th, 2023 at 9:09 pm
Let’s see how the offense performs against a good Eagles defense, the Vikings defense was terrible last season, and pretty much the same this year. The Bears could be the worst team in the NFL, if not bottom five for sure.
September 17th, 2023 at 9:13 pm
Rod….huh? “This type of stuff is how you turn people against him”
September 17th, 2023 at 9:19 pm
Beej, valid point.
September 17th, 2023 at 9:20 pm
Baker the escape artist houdini
September 17th, 2023 at 9:20 pm
Mayfield is just wired different, his competitive mindset and experience are really paying off. Ive been saying ever since he was signed that Baker needs to be the default starter.
But Trask stans and know it alls like Rod Munch and Bonzai kept saying that Mayfield doesn’t deserve another opportunity because of 1 down year on a bad Carolina team….yeah, why give a former heisman trophy winner and #1 pick a chance to see what he can do?
Remember when half the fan base wanted Baker benched for Trask after the 1st quarter of the season? So dumb….I for one am certainly enjoying this victory lap.
September 17th, 2023 at 9:25 pm
Rod munch FOS
He hated mayfield
I’ve been on 3 moths
Posts are history 3-0 wager early on three n something that will b 10X momentarily
Wyoming J u should have got n on my action
Go bucks
Mike s or something
They said baker was running over 30 mph occasionally
September 17th, 2023 at 9:30 pm
Just curious, I do get the games. Does Bowels converse with Mayfield during timeouts and quarters?
September 17th, 2023 at 9:30 pm
Don’t get the games.
September 17th, 2023 at 9:31 pm
once again…
baker was cookin’ in the pot
September 17th, 2023 at 9:32 pm
Now that tape is out on the Bucs Offense, games 3 and 4 will be telling. The first two games kind of “Fitz magic ish”
September 17th, 2023 at 9:32 pm
Congrats NE Fan
You guys scored before half.
Let me guess, NE would have beat the Bears worse.
2-0 Bucs
0-2 Patriots
Get used to losing
September 17th, 2023 at 9:36 pm
Todd Bowels has a better record this year without Tom Brady than Bill Belichick does
September 17th, 2023 at 9:37 pm
NE Fan Says:
September 17th, 2023 at 8:57 pm
The guy hasn’t won a playoff game and Oralbuc has him winning SB’s.
You might wanna check the stats on Baker so you know that he did win a playoff game. It’s just nice to see another competitive guy playing in Tampa. Couldn’t imagine having Fields or Kyler Murray as your guy…. Charmin tough are those 2.
September 17th, 2023 at 9:38 pm
BillyBucco@ you’ll get your chance to play Philly Monday. The Patriots have played two teams leading their division, Bucs 2 teams at the bottom of their division. There’s a difference if you didn’t know.
September 17th, 2023 at 9:41 pm
NE fan:
you can go now…
we tolerated you when tommy b was in the building…
and you were kinder to us all as well…lol
so gtfoh…………….no reason for you to be in here unless you’re just lonely or a jocker…
and yes baker has won a playoff game…big win over pittsburgh…a big upset win vs the steelers a few years back…before things went sideways for him…
now…….baker is cookin’ in the pot…………..son
September 17th, 2023 at 9:44 pm
Jack, seriously? The Pat’s play in the AFC and in the toughest division. Bucs play in the worst division in the league. If the Bucs had to face Turee Hill, Waddle & Berrios your DB’s would all be on the ir after the game with bad hammy’s.
September 17th, 2023 at 9:52 pm
Better get ready to pay the man.
September 17th, 2023 at 10:01 pm
I’m sore all over, just from watching these guys crash into each other.
I’ll need to marinate for a few days.
September 17th, 2023 at 10:18 pm
OK. I own up to not giving Baker much respect. After two games I respect his all out efforts and fearless play. Pretty dam good so far. Slow start in his first half against Minnisota but got his game going in the 2nd half. And dam if he didn’t get it going right from the getgo in game two. Kind of a gritty blue color fiesty style of play. Got to respect his all out fearless effort. Will he last the whole season playing this way? Odds are likely he will get injured. But for as long as he can stay healthy the guy has earned my respect!!! Got to love the all out effort. What a change from Brady dumping the ball off as fast as he could get rid of it
September 17th, 2023 at 10:29 pm
Wild Bill, Brady has 7 SB’s because he released the ball faster than other QB’s in the league. Short memories.
September 17th, 2023 at 10:31 pm
I like how Mayfield is playing. I see people complaining about injuries, you can get those standing behind the o line. If his playstyle motivates the team and that help us win, why are we off all teams complaining
September 17th, 2023 at 10:34 pm
Poor old Rod Munchy. Bucs 2/0 with Baker at qb. Come on Rod. Show a little more team spirit! Sure some of the better teams will likely kick our butt. And we have only a very slim chance of making the playoffs. But so far Baker is Hella more fun to watch than Brady last season. We got us a blue collar gritty fighter this year. Try to loosen up and enjoy the ride however long it lasts. If Baker stays healthy it should be way more fun watching than last year. And I think his all out effort has the rest of the team pumped!
September 17th, 2023 at 10:39 pm
NE Fan–Get your wait up!
September 17th, 2023 at 10:40 pm
What the hell is wrong with you people? I was literally defending Mayfield – saying don’t start the ‘average joe’ nonsense with Baker. The guy is a multi-millionaire who has had years of national TV campaigns – how exactly is that guy ‘lunch pail’ May? All you do when you push that dumb, simpleton agenda, is turn people against him since, once they take 2 seconds, they realize it’s a completely fraudulent take.
How you take that – me literally defending Baker – and turn it into bashing Mayfield… It makes me question how many people posting here today are the result of inbreeding.
September 17th, 2023 at 10:47 pm
so wait……..
baker’s cooking in a lunch pail…not a pot?
😉
September 17th, 2023 at 10:51 pm
I’ve bashed Mayfield and will continue to do so. Sorry, I haven’t seen anything impressive from him yet. The defense is carrying this team right now… the ONE thing that I have been wrong about with Mayfield was his turnovers! He’s inferior to the QB we had before Brady in every way except for his turnovers, which he has been doing a great job with.
I do expect that to change and I predict a lot of you will be off the bandwagon once he starts giving away games like the QB we had before Brady.
September 17th, 2023 at 10:52 pm
Cam Newton overheard the conversation and slowly backpedaled.
September 17th, 2023 at 11:02 pm
C’mon Munch, you’ve been bashing Bake from day one. I know because every time I’ve said something good about him, you and your little group of haters jump in and trash talk him. It’s cool man. I’m not one of those sensitive cats that needs a safe space to cope with my feelings. But you’re a Baker hater, so don’t deny it now, embrace it. Be true to yourself and don’t conform to the group think. You chose to follow along with all the haters like Cowherd and his group, and take the safe bet that “Baker sucks”. So don’t change your tune now that he’s 2-0. We both know The Bucs aren’t going to go 17-0, so you’ll get your chance to gloat when he does lose. See keep the fire burning and let your hate flow freely. I fully support your right to be an a$$
September 17th, 2023 at 11:04 pm
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!
September 17th, 2023 at 11:07 pm
I informed this blog pre-season that Baker would surprise and delight. You really just had to know this kid. Knowing that the Baler-haters have seen him in two games, what do you think? Is he, or is he not, a winner?
Wild Bill: Thanks for your own-up. Baker earned your respect and you manned up. Good man!
I share the concerns of all of the other constructive posters: Can the kid remain healthy in his quest to win in every game he plays!? He’s 28, in good shape, and smarter than he was the last game, so, I’m betting yes!
Go Bucs!!!!
September 17th, 2023 at 11:14 pm
“NE Fan Says:
September 17th, 2023 at 10:29 pm
Wild Bill, Brady has 7 SB’s because he released the ball faster than other QB’s in the league. Short memories.”
Last week, Baker was 2.47 seconds, 3rd fastest gun in the west
September 17th, 2023 at 11:14 pm
Don’t tell me it’s raining Says:
September 17th, 2023 at 11:02 pm
So don’t change your tune now that he’s 2-0.
——–
I already said before the season the team would open 3-0.
In any case he’s played great so far, and I’ve done nothing but given him credit and said he’s played great. I even back and rewatched the entire 1st game, and revised what I said from he had a good half of a game, to he had a good full game. What do you want kid, for me to pick him apart, tell you every time he made a bad play, a bad read, threw short of the 1st down sticks? Why do you want to try to trigger someone so they start bashing him?
You must be a special kind of psycho stalker to think you’re the only one allowed to say something good about him.
But not to worry, if the wheels do come off, I’ll be pointing that out as well – but right now I got nothing but praise for him. Why that makes you angry, I don’t get.
September 17th, 2023 at 11:30 pm
Todd Bowels actually admitted to calling bad plays instead of blaming everything on everyone else during the press conferences. I’m glad he’s maturing as a head coach
September 17th, 2023 at 11:58 pm
Haha seems like true confessions night. Yes Brady was the greatest, but definitely not in his last season. And I have to admit I was hoping Trask would have a good shot at starting, but just being real, he never got the attention and work in order to prepare to start for the Bucs. No other qbs during Brady’s reign were anything more than camp meat. But Brady was not the same last year. No shame in that. Father time gets his due eventually for all the greats, like so many before him he played a little longer than he should have. Will Baker take us to the Super Bowl? Not very likely. Is this years Bucs team more exciting to watch? He’ll yah!!!
September 18th, 2023 at 12:26 am
Munch says: I already said before the season the team would open 3-0.
It’s definitely possible in one of your many, many rants that you may have said they would be 3-0. I’ve never seen it myself and find it highly suspect. But I do remember in the game one thread where you gave one of the many, many predictions you like to share on JBF. This particular one was the 10 or 11 things you Baker would say after he lost the game. So if your psychic revelations were showing you what he was going to say after losing to Minnesota, then I’m not sure how he could go 3-0? Now this your world, I’m just a guest. But those two declarations seem mutually exclusive to me. Is it possible in your world for these two outcomes to simultaneously exist? That would be quite the paradox Munch.
September 18th, 2023 at 12:54 am
I had a good time at the game and went to every home game last year. This version of the Bucs is a much better product on the field. Brady should have stayed retired the first time. He may even have saved his marriage
September 18th, 2023 at 1:36 am
NE Fan
Leading their Division with 2 other teams.
Still have 2 undefeated teams in the NFC South and probably 3 tomorrow night.
Your AFC news is old check the stats.
What like 2 undefeated teams in the AFC and possibly 7 NFC teams tomorrow.
That means the NFC is beating your beloved divisions and Conference.
Bucs 2-0
Patriots 0-2
Like I said, get used to losing.
Hasn’t happened I know since 2001.
Times change and your fantasy boy is gone.
Your points are ridiculous and useless here.
Have fun crying yourself to sleep.
September 18th, 2023 at 1:59 am
Don’t tell me it’s raining Says:
September 18th, 2023 at 12:26 am
Munch says: I already said before the season the team would open 3-0.
It’s definitely possible in one of your many, many rants that you may have said they would be 3-0. I’ve never seen it myself and find it highly suspect. But I do remember in the game one thread where you gave one of the many, many predictions you like to share on JBF. This particular one was the 10 or 11 things you Baker would say after he lost the game.
————
I literally compared this team to the Ray Perkins Bucs, not that you know what that means. But I said they’d blow out the Bears, and would beat the Eagles.
From there… Well, that’s the rest of the prediction that I’m hoping that doesn’t come true.
Also I didn’t write what Baker would say after loses, that was AI. In any case, I’ll gladly eat those when the team goes 17-0.
Deal?
September 18th, 2023 at 2:33 am
This Boomer Sooner has been telling you all every since he signed, but nobody listened to me…. 🤣
September 18th, 2023 at 3:14 am
I noticed on one play he ran out of bounds short of the sticks and did not try to take on the DB guarding the first down marker. The fumble was in.open space and not a pile on. He is backing off some. He is some where in between lunch pail and celebrity QB. Have you seen his wife in a Bikini? The Browns ruin everybody. The Glazers are good owners. I think Bakes will stick and stay. He will cost less than Brady and the Glazers need the money for Man United.
September 18th, 2023 at 6:19 am
I’m going to say it…sign Baker to a 6 year, $200 million contract…today, Jason Licht!
September 18th, 2023 at 7:04 am
So much drama on here! Some of you guys need to stop watching soap operas…lol
September 18th, 2023 at 7:57 am
So Mark, post the bikini pic will ya! haha
September 18th, 2023 at 2:35 pm
I’ll say it again. This guy can be our Drew Brees 2 0. Brees had health issues with the Chargers and similar stats at the time. He goes to NO and becomes the future HOF we know today. Same height and build, players love him, etc.
September 18th, 2023 at 3:27 pm
I’ve liked about 75% of what I have seen so far.
However, I am not happy with his decision making late in yesterday’s game. With the time around 3+ minutes, Baker was not allowing the play clock run down to 1 sec before snapping. Multiple times he would ask for the snap with somewhere around 7-9 secs left. I feel he likely could have worked down the clock by 1 to 1:30 minutes more by waiting. Also, during one of those last couple of ‘run the clock out’ drives he was flushed out of the pocket towards the sideline and chose to throw the ball out of bounds instead of taking a 1-2 yd sack loss to keep the clock running. There is another 40sec clock hit. This lack of awareness surprised me. I was at the game so I am curious is the TV announcers called him out on these issues.
Luckily we won but these were simple, minimal skill, details can make a big difference. Brady seemed like he was always aware of this details.